Page 101 of Wolf Queen Ruin
Felix shook his head.“I’ve confirmed it three different ways, with both conventional and supernatural methods.Luna is pregnant.And given the timeline and circumstances, there’s only one possible…”
His gaze shifted uncomfortably between Damien and me.
I swallowed bitterly.“You said there was something else...”
“Um, well…” Felix cleared his throat and glanced at Damien.
I finally forced myself to look at the vampire too.He stood close now, his gaze aimed out the window, a mix of emotions wrestling beneath his features.
“The same illness that affects Aria and Jade,” I said flatly, beating Felix to the gut punch.“I started showing symptoms shortly before you hired me, Damien.The evidence is literally glowing and spreading on the underside of my feet.”
Damien whirled, his expression thunderous.“And you… You didn’t think this was relevant information to tell your partner in a dangerous expedition?”
Every word carried the weight of an accusation.
“Would you have hired me if you’d known?”I hissed with equal ire, hauling myself up to glare at him.
“That’s not the point—“
“It’sexactlythe point,“ I interrupted, my blood flaring hot.“Our arrangement was mutually beneficial.Whether I have mossy feet or not, it didn’t affect my performance.”
“It could have gotten you killed in that jungle!Or you could have fallen into a magical coma at the worst possible moment!”He ran a hand through his dark hair and stalked the length of the room, shaking his head.“You risked your safety.Your life.”
“Our mission succeeded,” I snapped.“We got the first piece of the Shadow Fang.Objective achieved.”
“And now what?”Damien demanded, facing me again.“You’ll deteriorate as we search for the remaining pieces?Fall into a magical coma?Risk your life again and now…” He gestured helplessly toward my stomach.“You should have told me.”
“I don’t recall requesting your opinion on my life choices, Damien.Besides, I’m not the one with two fiancées.”My voice came out steadier than I felt, though it cracked on the final word.“When were you going to tell me that?Certainly not before you fucked me to put a baby in me.Was I supposed to receive a wedding invitation?Maybe I could be a bridesmaid.”
Something dangerous flickered in his eyes, like a brief crimson flash.“You accuse me of omissions while concealing a potentially fatal illness?Your hypocrisy is remarkable.”
“At least my motivation is transparent,” I fired back.“Everything I do is to save my daughter and my best friend.What’s your real agenda, Damien?Get engaged to everyone you meet and find a way to knock up a few fiancées as well?”
Tension crackled between us like static electricity.Neither of us backed down.
Felix cleared his throat awkwardly.“Perhaps we should all take a calming breath and—“
“The Vampire Court told me of the arranged the marriage right after we landed in Panama City.Vivienne is my political fiancée,” Damien said abruptly.“An arranged marriage made to solidify an alliance between our vampire houses.It’s a tradition among old vampires.Vivienne’s lineage combined with mine strengthens both our positions in vampire society.It has nothing to do with personal attachment.”
“How romantic,” I said, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
Damien met my gaze.“Vivienne controls access to the older sections of the vampire catacombs beneath Paris.Her cooperation is necessary regardless of her connection to me.”
“Convenient.”
“Political,” he corrected.“Nothing about vampire politics is convenient, Luna.Vivienne supports our quest because it serves her house’s interests as well as mine.The Shadow Fang represents power—political and supernatural—beyond mere healing properties.”
“So while I’m focused on saving my family, you and your other fiancée are calculating how to leverage an ancient artifact for vampire political advantage.Charming.”
“My priority remains saving Elliot,” Damien said firmly.“The political ramifications are secondary but unavoidable in vampire society.”
“And where do I fit into these ‘ramifications’?”I asked.“Just the convenient baby-making vessel who happens to have the same illness I’m trying to cure?”
Something darkened in Damien’s eyes, and he closed the distance between us in a single fluid movement, his hand coming to rest on the examination table beside me.Not touching me, but close enough that I could feel the chill emanating from his skin.
“You,” he said, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper, “have never been a calculation.You’re the variable that has upended every equation I’ve balanced for centuries.”
I shook my head hard as if to rattle those words loose before they settled into my mind and grew roots.
